M3 Vulcanite question

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How do you keep or preserve the vulcanite of old M3 in new condition? I saw a thread on this subject sometime back but could not find locate it.Your comments please.

-- Tim Tan (kctan18@yahoo.com), December 18, 2001

Answers

The short answer is: you can't. Vulcanite is a rubber process, it dries out, shrinks and becomes brittle and flaky with age...kind of like photographers ;>) If you could travel back in time and get a brand-new M3 and treat it with Armor-All Tire Dressing once a month, you might have a shot. But with the newest M3 being around 35 years old, the best you can hope for is to not let it get any worse.

-- Jay (infinitydt@aol.com), December 18, 2001.

Look at Nemeth's Leica FAQ: http://www.nemeng.com/leica/# 032b

-- Niels H. S. Nielsen (nhsn@ruc.dk), December 18, 2001.

Jay is right, there is really no way that vulcanite will last forever and oince dried out NOTHING will bring it back. On my black paint M3 I have the M6 vinyl which seems pretty good to me.

-- Steve LeHuray (icommag@toad.net), December 18, 2001.

I had Leica USA replace the peeling vulcanite on my two Leica M3s with the M6 covering. Both cameras now look like new and feel much better to handl

-- Muhammad Chishty (applemac97@aol.com), December 18, 2001.

Oops! I meant to say that the M6 covering is much smoother and softer than the hard and peeling vulcanite on the M3s!.................

-- Muhammad (applemac97@aol.com), December 18, 2001.


What was the last model to have vulcunite and not the current faux-vulcunite? M4? M3? Just curious...

-- Richard (rvle@yahoo.com), December 18, 2001.

Last model with Vulcanite? I think it was early versions of the M4-P. My 1981 version has Vulcanite, but it is different (stiffer) to what I've seen and felt on other's M3's. Definitely Vulcanite though - it's rubbery and smelt like an old developer tray (sulphur) when I bought the camera!

-- Andrew Nemeth (azn@nemeng.com), December 18, 2001.

jay is right, but you can slow the aging process by giving the vulcanite a wipe down with neatsfoot oil on a q-tip a couple times a year..........

-- david kelly (dmkedit@aol.com), December 18, 2001.

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